


Royalty

by kurage_hime



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alderaan, Childhood, Gen, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-14 12:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18476443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurage_hime/pseuds/kurage_hime
Summary: Ben Solo wishes he were a prince of Alderaan.





	Royalty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kereia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kereia/gifts).



Normally, Ben Solo hated accompanying his mother on her diplomatic trips. They were inevitably and invariably filled with boring meetings, interminable receptions, and countless opportunities for Ben to feel small and unimportant.

As usual, he’d thrown a tantrum and locked himself in his bedroom the day before they were scheduled to depart. Unusually, however, that did not get him a free ticket out of things.

And even more unusually, Ben was, for once in his life, actually enjoying himself on this particular trip. The way he was being treated was a big part of the reason for his enjoyment.

“It is our greatest honor and sincerest pleasure to receive you at New Aldera City, Your Highness.”

Ben flushed, delighted. The speaker was a beautiful young woman with honey-gold plaits and a flowing white shimmersilk gown, and she was addressing him. He’d never been called “Your Highness” by anyone before, let alone a beautiful young woman!

Before Ben could formulate a suitably noble-sounding reply, though, his mother interjected, “You need not stand on formality with us, Shan. I abdicated the throne years ago. We have come as humble children of Alderaan, and that is all, no different than the rest of you.”

“Princess Leia Organa has been a shining beacon of hope to the Alderaanians-in-exile!” protested the woman his mother had named Shan. “You will always be royalty to us, Your Highness!”

So his mother was “Your Highness” too. Figured. She inclined her head in polite acknowledgement that did not equal agreement. “Let us not argue on this joyous occasion,” she said. Yes, his mother was ever the perfectly poised politician and diplomat.

Even while visiting her people’s new homeworld.

Several hundred-thousand citizens of Alderaan and other assorted beings with self-identified Alderaanian lineage had survived the Empire’s destruction of the planet. By fortune or circumstance, they had been offworld at the time of its destruction. Because they had no homeworld to return to, these survivors became known as the Alderaanians-in-exile.

Now, after the fall of the Empire and establishment of the New Republic, the Alderaanians-in-exile were exiles no longer. They’d located a new and previously uninhabited planet upon which to settle. The planet’s jagged, snowy peaks, sunny alpine meadows, and deep glacial lakes reminded them of Alderaan. So naturally they’d named it New Alderaan.

Ben and his mother were visiting to celebrate the fifth anniversary of New Alderaan’s official establishment as a member state of the New Republic.

“So you like being a prince, do you?” his mother asked him after Shan had moved on to greet other newly arrived guests. She ruffled his hair affectionately.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t want to stay a princess. Look at how everyone here absolutely adores you!” Ben said, ducking away from his mother’s hand. He was nearly ten, too old to be stroked like a pet!

“It’s not just about adoration, Ben. It’s about responsibility. A princess must become a queen eventually, and rulership of New Alderaan would have been a full time job. I have my duties to the Republic. It wouldn’t have been fair to anyone if I’d tried to split my attention.”

Ben frowned, thoughtful. His mother didn’t get nearly as much love and respect as a Senator, and those who opposed her policy proposals could be downright abusive. Besides, Ben liked the idea of being royalty himself. He deserved the love and respect of the people too! As it was, as his mother’s son, it was practically his birthright! And maybe an Alderaanian prince would feel less misunderstood and alone…

“Aww, sweetie, don’t be so glum!” his mother exclaimed, pulling him in for a playful hug that he did not quite manage to dodge in time. “You’ll always be _my_ precious little prince!”

But that wasn’t the point, was it? Ben’s frown deepened, but his mother turned her attention back to the festivities and pretended not to notice.


End file.
